Ex-Butler County corrections officer accused of stealing from fundraiser

According to court documents, Halle Gudgell stole money from a cash box at a fundraiser in Hamilton last year

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Updated: 10:59 PM EST Mar 7, 2017

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WEBVTT FORMER BUTLER COUNTY CORRECTIONSOFFICER HALLE GUDGELL, SEEN HEREAT OLYMPUS GYM, NOW IS ON THOTHER SIDE OF THE LAW, CHARGEDWITH THEFT.THE INCIDENT HAPPENED HERE ATTHIS FUNDRAISER AT THE HAMILTONGYM LAST JUNE, CALLED REPS FORVETS. ALL THE CASH WAS SUPPOSED TOBENEFIT A MIAMI UNIVERSITYSCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR CORPORALNICHOLAS OLIVAS.THE FAIRFIELD GRAD WAS KILLEDSERVING IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2012.>> IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MEBECAUSE I LIVED IN HAMILTON MYWHOLE LIFE, AND HE WAS A PART OFTHE COMMUNITY AND A PART OF THEPEOPLE AROUND HERE, AND A LOT OFPEOPLE KNEW AND LOVED HIM.AMANDA: GYM ONWNER JARON WEAVERSAYS GUDGELL HELPED OUT AT TGYM AND ACTUALLY HELPED ORGANIZETHE EVEN>> SHE WAS A GOOD PERSON, SHEHELPED OUT HERE ALL OF THE TIME,AND HELPED OUT A LOT AROUND THISPLACE.AMANDA: COURT PAPERS REVEALGUDGELL IS ACCUSED OF TAKING THECASH BOX FILLED WITH MONEY,FIRST CLAIMING THE MONEY WASSTOLEN, AND THEN LATER CLAIMEDSHE FOUND IT. GUDGELL VOLUNTARILY RESIGNEDFROM THE BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF'SOFFICE IN JANUARTHIS FORMER C.O. NOW HAS MANYHERE AT OLYMPUS GYM WONDERINGWH>> IT WAS DEFINITELY HURTFUL, IMEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULDBE ABLE TO DO THAT.AMANDA: GUDGELL PLEADED NOTGUILTY TO THE CHARGE TODAY INHAMILTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURT.WE REACHED OUT TONIGHT TO THEFORMER CORRECTIONS OFFICER BUTWERE TOLD SHE HAD NO COMMENTREPORTING LIVE AT THE BUTLERCOUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AMANDA

Ex-Butler County corrections officer accused of stealing from fundraiser

According to court documents, Halle Gudgell stole money from a cash box at a fundraiser in Hamilton last year

A former corrections officer at the Butler County Sheriff's Office is charged with theft.

According to court documents, Halle Gudgell, 21, stole money from a cash box at a fundraiser in Hamilton in June 2016.

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Hamilton police confirmed the money was meant for a scholarship fund at Miami University honoring fallen soldier Cpl. Nicholas Olivas.

The fundraiser was held at the Olympus Gym, during an event sponsored by The Rep for Vets.

Gym owner Jaron Weaver said he wanted to honor Cpl. Olivas, a Fairfield graduate who was killed serving his country in Afghanistan in 2012.

“It was important to me because I lived in Hamilton my whole life and he was a part of the community and a part of the people around here and a lot of people knew and loved him,” Weaver said.

Weaver said Gudgell helped out at the gym and helped organize the event.

“She was a good person. She helped out here all of the time and helped out a lot around this place,” Weaver said.

Court papers reveal Gudgell is accused of taking the cash box filled with money. She first claimed the money had been stolen and then later claimed she had found it.

Gudgell voluntarily resigned from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in January. The former corrections officer now has many people at the Olympus Gym wondering why she would allegedly steal money from an event she had helped create.

“It was definitely hurtful. I mean, I don't know how you could be able to do that,” Weaver said.

Gudgell pleaded not guilty to the theft charge in Hamilton County Municipal court Tuesday. She has a pretrial conference scheduled on April 20.

WLWT reached out to the former corrections officer, but we were told she had no comment.